The Lies We Tell Ourselves
by Eilis T. Lee
Summary: Bella starts working at Watts Up!, an electronics store in town, to pay for college. When Bella starts falling for Emmett (the twin brother of her manager), she begins to wonder why he's interested in her. It isn't until she learns his secret that she realizes why he continues to keep his distance despite their obvious attraction. M for future chapters! BDSM Themes
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Twilight. All rights to the Twilight franchise belong to Stephanie Meyer. The only part of this story I claim rights to is the story line.**

 **AN: Hey all! This is my first posted Fic (I say "posted" because I've written fanfictions before, just never uploaded them to any site). I hope everyone likes it (and if you don't I don't really care - no offense). Anyways, let me know what ya'll think!**

School sucked ass. There came a point, I didn't even care where I went after college or what I did, but I couldn't tell my dad that. Charlie had picked up a second job as a security guard at a local concert venue to pay for my second year at the local community college. It wasn't that I was slacking. I got decent grades and I was already half way through my associates degree. I guess it just wasn't going how I expected my higher education to.

"Did you get that last text book you needed?" Charlie's voice was the first thing I heard when I walked through the front door.

The entry way was lit with a dull light bulb and was missing its fixture. Our basket of shoes was overflowing so I kicked my converse off next to it and dropped my keys on the entry table. The rectangular mirror above it needed a cleaning. The entry faced the living room where Charlie was lounging on our brown couch with a beer in his hand. I ducked to the left into the kitchen and started making a grilled cheese.

"Kid," Charlie spoke softly from where he was leaning against the fridge behind me.

I took a deep breath and turned around. He had trimmed his dark mustache that morning, it was looking more well kept than last I saw him. His jeans were worn in the knees and his plaid flannel long sleeve shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a sports t-shirt just as old as his pants. I hopped onto the counter next to the stove and watched the butter under my sandwich sizzle and fry. I knew what I was about to say would only make him feel bad.

"My card declined."

There was silence and Charlie raised his beer bottle to his lips. I glanced up at him then back to the frying pan. His brows were furrowed and he scratched at the center of his mustache. I flip my sandwich. He nodded, grabbed a new beer from the fridge and left his empty bottle on top before heading back into the living room.

He was embarrassed.

Once my grilled cheese was done I took it into the other room and curled up on the end of the couch. We didn't say anything for a while. He was watching one of the unhistorical programs on the history channel.

"By how much?"

"Huh?" I asked, setting my plate between us. The crust slid to one side and he shifted his gaze from the large TV screen to stare down at it.

"Your card declined by how much?"

"Oh. I think like a hundred dollars. But the library probably has a copy of the text book so I'll just get it from there." I lied.

Charlie turned back to the TV.

"I was thinking about getting a job. Just to give me something to do. Spring semester is almost out and summer will be really boring without school."

He remained quiet.

I sighed and began to clean my dinner up. He reached for my hand, his fingers warm and callused on my knuckles. A memory of him pushing me on the swing-set in our backyard as a child flickered through my mind and he pulled away.

"If you think that's what you want," he said.

I flashed him a half smile and returned to the kitchen.

Money wasn't really a sore subject between us, but school was. My dad did a year at the same local community college I was going to and then he joined the police academy — been there ever since. My mom spent a few years at an art college, then she had me and together they agreed higher education wasn't for them. Renee didn't care if I went to college or not, but then she didn't care much what I did. Charlie on the other hand — he was determined I do better than either of them had.

After throwing my trash away and pouring myself a glass of sweet tea, I settled in at my computer upstairs, ready to start looking for local jobs in the area. My room was on the right at the top of the stairs, across from the bathroom. My walls were a pale yellow and my curtains were worn, blue muslin. I had a rocking chair from infancy that Charlie's dad made for me and a cheap desk that I'd nearly out-grown. My twin sized bed was shoved into the far left corner and over looked the front yard.

A notification window popped up in the bottom right hand corner of the screen, letting me know I had a Facebook message from Angela. I checked my phone and sure enough she'd texted me four times since we got out of our math class at three-forty.

All of the texts had a similar theme. She may have gotten me a job at her work, an electronics repair store two miles from campus. Her Facebook message was asking if I was still alive.

I answered her on Facebook since it was already pulled up and I needed to plug my phone in across the room.

 _Yeah, still alive. When can I fill out an app?_

The message dinged to let me know it was delivered and I waited for her reply as I scrolled through my feed. Several people from my high school were partying it up this weekend. They proclaimed all were invited, but they were BYOB events. I wrinkled my nose at a guy in swim trunks and a white wife beater. It was still under 60 degrees outside I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to go swimming yet.

The messenger popped up again.

 _Now! My shift started a hour ago and Alice leaves in like 30 min!_

I grabbed my jacket and glanced at my appearance in the mirror attached to the back of my door. My eyeliner was smudging off so I reapplied quickly. I put my thick brown curls up in a ponytail, but decided it looked better before and yanked it back down. I tromped down the stairs and stumbled to the doorway, rushing to jam my feet back into my high-tops.

"Where you—"

"Angela got me an interview and her boss leaves soon."

I snatched my keys and wallet from the entry table, realizing I forgot my phone upstairs. I didn't have time to go back up and get it so I just bid Charlie bye and slammed the front door on my way out. My little Nissan started up with a slight shake and a groan as I backed out of the driveway.

Thankfully I avoided most of the red lights and traffic, arriving ten minutes earlier than it usually took me to get to Watts Up!? I took a deep breath and straightened my t-shirt before heading inside. I wished I would have had time to change and re-brush my teeth. I was sure my breath smelled like greasy cheese. Angela was at the first of six registers and saw me before I saw her.

"Bella! Come here!"

She grabbed my hand and dragged me to the office where a pale woman not much older than us was hunched over a figures book. The ends of her black pixie-cut glistened gently in the bright light because of the gel she used to spike it up in the back. Her eyes were a gorgeous green and her features were so delicate she reminded me instantly of some kind of doll. Her movements were fluid and I wondered if she had ever been a dancer.

"Alice, this is Bella." Angela pushed me forward a few steps and I hesitantly put a hand up for her to shake.

Alice took it and smiled. I made sure to grip firmly to give a good impression — that's what Charlie used to remind me to do before he took me anywhere as a kid.

"Hello Bella, Angela tells me you're looking for a part-time job?"

"Uh, full time if you have it." I mentally cursed myself for sounding uncertain. It wasn't my first interview, but I was nervous nonetheless.

"We'll probably have something open up come summer if you can deal with part time for now."

I nodded unable to look away from Alice's radiant smile.

"Excellent! Let's get you started on paperwork if you've got a minute."

"Oh, uh, yeah." I was shocked the process was going so fast, but if I knew Angela she'd been talking me up for the last hour — maybe longer since I'd been talking about getting a job for almost a month before.

"Angela, there are people at the register." Alice pointed out of the one way glass to the floor where an old man with a first generation smart phone in his hand was walking around looking for assistance.

"Oh right!"

Angela returned to work and I spent the next hour working through insurance and bank info. Alice told me not to bother with references, she knew Angela was a hard working, type A person and wouldn't recommend someone who would make her look bad. I wasn't sure if I should feel pressured by that statement or flattered.

By the time I was done Alice had moved out front and was smoking a cigarette with a male who was wearing a pale green button up and black slacks, his tie hanging so loosely around his neck it looked like it might fall off if he moved too quickly. My stomach flooded with butterflies as I excused myself and offered Alice the completed packet of paperwork. I couldn't seem to find words, or look away from the Adonis before me.

"Oh great, sweetheart!" Alice took the papers and dragged on her cigarette before offering it to me. I shook my head and stood awkwardly before the couple. "Oh sorry! Emmett, this is my new employee, Bella Swan. She's a friend of Ang's."

Emmett flashed me a thousand watt smile, his canines sharper than your average hot guy's, giving him a predatory grin. Somehow this only made him more attractive. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to expose his muscular forearms with veins that become more prominent when he dropped his hands to his side. He inclined his head toward me and dropped his smoke to the ground, stamping it out with his fancy shoes.

He offered his hand and while I couldn't remember how to word I remembered to shake firmly.

"Welcome to the Watt family."

My stomach did a little flip as my internal voice reminded me that he was way out of my league despite fangirling all the same.

"Thanks."

"Emmett is my twin brother. He's up here annoying everyone all the time, so feel free to just ignore him when he comes in." Alice laughed and put out her own cigarette.

 _Doubt that'll be possible._

I felt a little better realizing I wasn't already crushing on my boss's significant other, but not by much.

"I'm going to take this inside and file it real quick. When do you wanna start? Tomorrow we have an open shift and Saturday too."

"Uh… Tomorrow is cool." I nod and so did Alice.

"Awesome! I'm going to go lock the office up." She went back inside, the front door dinging lightly as it opened.

There was a moment of silence and I tried not to stare, but I couldn't seem to tear my gaze from the hollow of his throat, exposed by his open collar. He lit another cigarette and then noticed me staring.

"You not smoke?" He asked, the Marlboro bobbing in the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

I shook my head. "Only socially."

His head tilted back a little as he laughed loudly. He ran his free hand through his dark shaggy hair and then offered me the cigarette.

"Well we are out here in society, and I'm trying to be social, so take it."

I hesitated, but to avoid risking a loser status, plucked the smoke from his fingertips. I inhaled, aware he was watching me like a hawk. I could barely breathe, let alone try to look casual doing something I'd only partaken in a handful of times.

"Oh come on now, that's not how you smoke. Take a deeper breath than that!" Emmett laughed lifting my hand back up to my mouth by putting a few fingers under my bent elbow and doing the work for me.

I inhaled again and he encouraged me take a bigger breath a second time.

 _If you'd go away maybe I could manage, but my lungs are freaking out a little._

I coughed heavily and he guffawed again.

"I knew you weren't a smoker." He took the cigarette from me and pat me on the back. "And don't you start. Nasty habit these things."

The mischievous glint in his bright green eyes told me exactly what his plan had been all along.

Alice came back out and patted me on the back in much the same manner her twin brother had.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie!"

She jumped into the passenger side of the orange jeep behind Emmett, waving through the windshield.

Emmett finished his cigarette and wiped it out on the curb. When he straightened, he winked at me.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, sweetie."

My stomach disappeared leaving a hole in my gut that required thoughts of algebra and comp 2 to ground me. Would I really see him tomorrow? Not that it mattered, but damn that would be nice.

Once they pulled out of the parking lot Angela came running up to me and jumped on me from behind.

"We're gonna be working together! How cool!"

I nodded and ducked my head to hide my smile and blush behind my hair. I realized I was having my very first non-celebrity crush. I wasn't sure I liked this feeling.

 **P.S. Don't forget to leave a review! Let me know what you did or did not like. And let me know what you might like to see later on!**

 **-Lee-**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Twilight. All rights to the Twilight franchise belong to Stephanie Meyer. The only part of this story I claim rights to is the story line.**

 **AN: Hey all! Sorry for the lack of steam, I promise you'll get a little somethin' somethin' in the next chapter. I wanted to set up the characters and the drama before I give you what you all want. *mischievous eyebrow waggle* Thanks guys for all of the Favorites, Follows, and Reviews! It really inspired me to write!**

I stood before the mirror on the back of my door, my khaki pants buckled with a black belt and my black polo tucked in. I looked so professional. I had my hair pulled back, but I kept letting it down like the day before. I wasn't sure if they required our hair up, but I found myself wondering if Emmett would prefer it otherwise.

I rolled my eyes and threw the bobby pin in my hand at the mirror. It _tink_ ed off the surface and skittered under my bedside table.

 _Who cares?_

Still, my stomach flipped. I had confessed to Angela last night that I found him attractive. She giggled with me and made me feel not so crazy. But as soon as we parted ways I knew that I was. Crazy that is.

He was way out of my league. Not to say that I wasn't attractive. I saw a list of girls' names in the boy's locker room in high school that rated all of the girls on the volleyball team by sexiness/do-able-ness. I had tried out so I think that's why I was on the list. I was actually somewhere between the top and the middle. If my boobs were bigger, I might have made it higher, but I wasn't too concerned at the time. All of the boys at Forks High were less than boyfriend material.

I hadn't changed much since senior year. Still had long red-brown hair, light brown eyes, pale skin (I probably should have made an effort to get out more), same small waist and hips, round perky butt and average bust. Like I said, I wasn't unattractive, but it wouldn't be a mistake to call me plain.

And Emmett was anything but average and plain.

Angela told me that he was married anyways. I wasn't sure how I missed his wedding ring, but then again I wasn't really looking. He said he would see me again.

 _Or maybe he was just mocking his sister._

Or maybe he was serious.

 _Not about the sweetie part. That was definitely him mocking Alice._

Yeah the sweetie part…

The conversation I'd had with myself all day felt like a broken record. After Charlie walked in on me an hour previously talking out loud I started arguing with myself in the confines of my head. A truly scary place to be.

My phone chirped at me from where it lay on the end of my bed.

 **U excited?**

Angela's text had a string of emoji's after it. None throwing up, but that's how I felt.

The first day of my first job. And maybe Emmett would be there. Ang had said I'd probably shadow her most of the shift. She would be able to tell me about how they stock things and how to run the register, but she wasn't positive.

 _I really hope Alice lets me train, even if it's not with Angela. I don't want to look like a fool. Although I can't imagine why she wouldn't…_

"Hey kiddo! You're gonna be late!" Charlie called from the bottom of the stairs.

I looked at the time and realized I only had 20 minutes until my shift started.

 **Totes excited.** I typed, knowing Angela would get my sarcasm.

I grabbed my wallet and jacket and dashed down the stairs, pecking Charlie on the cheek before hoping in my truck. Charlie pulled out after I did, likely on his way to Billy's. It was Friday so they would be drinking late and playing a few card games. The next day they would leave early in the morning to go fishing.

It was usually the time I'd go hiking in the woods behind our neighborhood. I wondered if I would have to change up my running schedule now that I had a full time job and school. I couldn't help thinking that if I got to see Emmett frequently, I might not mind losing a few workout hours.

My first day wasn't as scary as I expect it to be. It went rather quickly since we were closing the store down an hour earlier than usual. I ended up following Alice around the whole five hours. She showed me the ins and outs of the store and gave me a few tips for my own electronic purposes. She informed me employees got a 40% discount, which was nice since my desktop was several years overdue for its own funeral.

Every time we moved from one topic to another she dragged me outside to smoke and gossip. It became very clear Alice was the kind of person who made friends with everyone.

By the time Angela finished closing out her register just after 7 and joined us out front, all of the store lights and displays shut off, Alice had told me what her sign was (Virgo), at what age she lost her virginity (16), and to whom (one of her brother's football buddies who broke up with her and then got herpes from one of his church going friends). I even knew when her parent's anniversary was (January 19th 1986). I let her ramble as much as she wanted in the hopes she would say something about her brother, but alas she avoided that subject altogether.

"Angela, why didn't you tell me Bella has such amazing hair?" Alice asked, running her delicate fingers through the ends of my thick brown tresses.

"Because I knew you'd want to style-"

"Will you let me curl it? I have this gorgeous copper headband that would set off the gold flecks in your eyes like crazy amazing," Alice interrupted Angela.

"Oh uh—"

"Hey Al!" The deep tenor of the modern Adonis known as Emmett Cullen called out of his jeep's window, turning the engine off half a second after it came to a stop in the no parking zone.

I subconsciously licked my lips and tried not to stare at him. He strutted up to where the three of us stood. Alice punched his arm and asked how his day was.

"Better now," he said with a wink, propping his elbow up on my shoulder.

"Gross," Alice said, frowning for just a moment.

I froze, starring up at the elder twin.

"You about ready to go?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, Angela just finished closing everything up. Right?" Alice paused only long enough to let Angela nod. "Oh! So Emmett and I are going to a fabulous dinner party at our parents' house- wanna come?"

"A dinner party?" Angela asked, skeptically.

I was able to tear my gaze away from Emmett just as he looked down at me. Alice launched into her explanation excitedly.

"Yeah, our older brother, Edward is getting married and it's like a wedding announcement to their colleagues."

"I told him it was a bad idea— "

Alice punched Emmett in the stomach, though it did little to phase him. She rolled her eyes at him and continued. "I'm sure it's going to be a mega bore, but they have a hot tub on the second floor deck and there will be a lot of champagne."

"Oh, I'm not old enough— "

"I didn't hear that," Alice interrupted me, not even glancing my way. She pulled out her top of the line smart phone and clicked away on the temper glass, her professionally manicured nails making an oddly satisfying sound.

"There. That's their address. Wear something really nice. It's at like nine, but there are extra rooms to stay in if you get sloshed, so there should be no worries." Her radiant smile did little to convince me that this was a good idea. It definitely sounded fun, but I still wasn't sure.

Angela's and my phone vibrated at the same time. As Alice and Angela discussed what, if anything, we needed to bring and what "really nice" kind of attire she was talking about, I copy and pasted the address into the Maps app on my phone. It was only about a 30-minute drive from my house, and I recognized the street view pictures of it as the giant modern glass house up north of our town. It was pretty much like a landmark.

"So you coming?" Emmett asked, taking his elbow off of me and leaning his weight to his other hip. He perched his weight on a cement cylinder meant to block cars from driving straight into the store front.

"Um, well I don't really think I have anything to wear…" I trailed off seeing the look on Angela's face. "But… yeah, maybe."

Emmett's smile grew and he pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, smacking the bottom of the pack and withdrawing a long Marlboro from the middle.

"Awesome. You guys can show up a little late if you want too, really the only people coming are the socialites and elites that work with our parents. They are always twenty minutes late or something." He lit his smoke and inhaled with a sigh.

"Yeah, that's true. Anyways, we'll see you guys there right?"

Angela nodded and I shrugged, quickly changing my non-verbal answer to a nod, as my best friend shot me a quick glare.

"Great! See you ladies in a bit!"

Angela marched alongside me, her brow furrowed and her sharp gaze examining the store fronts of downtown Forks.

"What are we looking for again?" I asked.

"Something fancy! Something with some class! Something— "

"Black?" I interrupted.

Angela hesitated, rocking her head back and forth as she tossed the idea around. "I mean… yeah I guess…"

"Cool!" I started walking faster and checked the street before crossing. I knew Angela would speed up so she wouldn't lose me. I knew of a little hole in the wall store that sold a lot of band t-shirts and had a section in the back for some cold shoulder lacy numbers that I think were supposed to be 'grown up emo'.

"Where are we going?" Angela asked, breathlessly. "Bell, I don't know about this…" Her head was tilted back, her throat exposed as she read the hip brick sign over the small glass door.

"It'll be fine."

Inside the latest record from some alternative band played softly over the speakers. The walls were brick and the racks were silver, mostly black, dark red, and gray clothes hung by size throughout the store. The checkout counter was an open display case with gages, belly rings, choker necklaces, and hipster bracelets and earrings within.

I headed straight for the back where bikini sets hung from the walls and a mannequin with one of their dresses dangled from the ceiling.

"Bella!" Angela hissed.

"Look! This is cute right? Do you think it's fancy enough?" I held up a plain black thigh-length dress with a high neck and cold shoulder sleeves.

"It's – oh!" She took the merchandise from my hands and held it up to her body. It appeared to be her size. She gasped. "Bella! Look at this skirt!"

I smiled knowing that I had converted her.

We left the store with some less than modest outfits and relatively simple jewelry to accent the clothing more than dominate it. We got ready at my house – out of the prying eyes of family.

"So do you think we'll meet Emmett's wife?" Angela asked, looking at me sidelong. She was applying fake eyelashes, or at least trying to. I knew she wasn't trying to be mean, but it was her way of subtly reminding me to not get my hopes up.

Which was a very real possibility.

I thought back to our conversation today when he had his arm propped up on my shoulder. I didn't get a good look at his hand, but I wasn't sure he'd been wearing a ring.

I said as much to Angela.

She faltered her fake eyelashes and finally put them on the bathroom counter, giving up. She looked at me with a mix of doubt and pity. Neither of us said anything and she hesitantly returned to her make-up, still disregarding her false lashes.

"I'm just saying," I mumbled.

By the time we left we were going to be close to thirty minutes late.

"Fashionably late to being fashionably late – right?" Angela giggled as she drove us up the long dirt driveway to the Cullen house.

When we pulled up to the circle drive in front of the glass mansion, a young boy in a red vest was waiting.

"Oh my God. Is that really a valet?" I breathed.

Angela and I exchanged a look of excitement her coy smile spreading into a grin.

We climbed the stone steps and crossed the open threshold. The inside was breath taking. There was a large black piano that probably cost more than my house in the middle of the sitting room to our left. A vine draped banister rose alongside dark wooden stairs that had a plush white carpet cast down it. People were gathered in the kitchen just around the corner from the sitting room, but Angela and I didn't get much chance to explore as we were immediately assaulted by Alice and Emmett.

"You girls made it!" Alice squealed kissing each of us on the cheeks. She wore a painfully expensive deep purple dress paired with velvet black heels.

Emmett was dressed in black slacks and a dark green button up with a black vest over it. It was just a single fancy step above his work clothes.

"Told you they'd be here. They couldn't resist all of this." He gestured to himself and leaned against the banister.

"Shut up," Alice scoffed, waving a waiter over.

"Wow, if this is the announcement I can't imagine what the wedding will be like…" Angela breathed. She turned pink and took a glass of wine from Alice silently.

"Oh I know. Our mother really has a flare for the elegant." Alice sighed and handed me a glass as well. I sipped it, and tried not to wrinkle my nose at the taste. I couldn't see why some people spent their lives drinking this for a living. It just tasted like sour grapes.

"Emmett!" A blonde haired beauty strutted around the corner her brow furrowed and her mouth cemented into a hard line. When she saw us looking she perked up into a fake persona and smiled so stiffly it bordered a grimace.

"Alice, I didn't know you invited friends over. Emmett dear, you left this on the sink when you washed your hands." The blonde slipped a gold band onto the stiff, blank faced Emmett's left hand.

A wedding ring.

This was his wife.

My stomach dropped out and I felt my smile faltered and then slowly slide off my face.

"I'm Rosalie Cullen," she said, offering her hand like a medieval lady.

I nodded and Angela shook it with more vehemence than Rosalie expected.

Emmett and I met each other's eyes, but his face was as stoic as I hoped mine to be. She was gorgeous. This woman was goddess level beautiful and I had no chance. I mean, I knew I had no chance to begin with, but seeing Emmett's wife in person cemented that reality for me.

"Rosalie, this is Angela Weber and Isabella Swan," Alice said.

"Angela. Isabella." Rosalie spoke our names with an Italian accent and I wanted to vomit. "Beautiful names! Angel and beauty. Mine is actually French for rose," she bragged.

I flashed a thin, tight lip smile and audibly sighed when a woman who could only be Alice and Emmett's mother called for the room's attention.

This was going to be a terrible evening.

 **P.S. Don't forget to leave a review! Let me know what you did or did not like. And let me know what you might like to see later on!**

 **-Lee-**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Twilight. All rights to the Twilight franchise belong to Stephanie Meyer. The only part of this story I claim rights to is the story line.**

 **AN: OMG! I am so sorry for my absence! I am a Water Protector and participated in an action in Memphis, Tennessee. 12 of my friends got arrested and then there was problems with work and I ended up quitting and I've been in a bit of a depression... anyways, IRL stuff ya know?**

"I would just like to say a few words on my son's behalf," Esme, Alice, Edward, and Emmett's mother, held her glass high and gestured for everyone else to join her in her toast. "Edward," she began speaking to a bronze haired hottie in the crowd to her left. "I watched you graduate medical school. I attended every one of your piano concerts. I made mud pies with you and your siblings. And I knew, the first time I held you, that you would grow to be an incredible man. What I didn't know was that there would be a woman out there who could make you half as happy as I hoped you would be. Tanya, thank you so much for loving my son. I wish the two of you a happy and fruitful life."

We cheered our champagne along with the others in the room. Rosalie lifted her glass delicately and tinked it against Emmett's held stiffly in his large hands.

"Do you think mom knows she just claimed Tanya can only make Edward half happy?" Alice snickered.

She looked to see why Emmett was not joining her in her tom-foolery. I glanced to Angela who was also watching Emmett throw back the entirety of this glass and then snag one off a side table a few steps to our right. It looked like a woman with bright pink lipstick had been sipping on it earlier. Emmett didn't seem to care.

"I'm going to go congratulate them. Let's go." Rosalie plucked the empty champagne cup from her husband's hands and handed it to Angela before grabbing him by the wrist and dragging him to the front.

Angela held hers and Emmett's glasses, gaping after the couple much like I was. Alice rolled her eyes and tipped the rest of her drink up like Emmett had done. She licked her lips and followed after them. We shuffled in with the crowd and was near the front of the line of people congratulating the oldest Cullen sibling. We got it over with and ushered after Alice back to where we'd been standing during Esme's toast.

"Now that we observed the obligatory toast and Edward is getting swamped with unwanted congratulations, we can sneak off to the real fun." The mischievous twinkle in her eye reminded me that I came, not to watch Rosalie drag the guy of my wet dreams around, but to have fun.

Angela and I nodded vehemently and followed her up the elegant stairs draped with fabric and lined with extremely professional pictures of Edward, Alice, Emmett, and even Rosalie.

"Alice," Angela began, "I didn't know Emmett's wife was so… hot."

"Stuck up?" Alice spoke over Angela's description and I bit my lip when her face turned dark. "I don't like her. She's a total brat. I don't even know why Emmett married her. Or I guess I do, but you know…"

But we didn't know. Alice still didn't explain it to us.

On the third floor we could see a balcony at the end of the hall, a faint blue light glowing from somewhere outside.

"Did you girls bring swimsuits?"

Angela looked to me and I nodded. I'd worn mine under my black and gray laced skin tight dress. I wasn't sure what Angela had done with hers though I assumed the same as I had.

"Excellent! Let me get changed. There should be towels out there already. I'm going to grab some wine too and I'll be right out," Alice said with more perk than was necessary.

She dashed off back down the stairs and Angela grabbed my wrist. Neither of us had unattractive figures, but we were both pretty conservative compared to most and we had been risking our own modesty when we bought the dresses. The bikinis that we'd snagged as well were purchased on a whim.

"It's just going to be us girls, no big deal," I assured my dark haired friend.

Angela swallowed and nodded and we undressed right there in the hall. We folded our outfits and set them on the floor by the back door with our shoes and jewelry. If we had known that there were people outside we would have tucked tail and run. As it was, the angle the door was at, and how far down the balcony the hot tub was, we didn't know there were four brown and muscled guys that had already beaten us to the water. So we walked out into the cool air amid hurried shouts of hold the door! But the door closed behind us.

Angela reached for the handle only to find it was firmly stuck.

"Dammit," the younger of the four boys muttered.

"It's locked from the inside, and we're getting pruney," another said.

The two older ones laughed and waved us over.

"Hello. Sorry to take up so much room. Emmett invited us out. Only he's not here and we don't have towels." A guy with long hair and a tribal wolf tattoo on his upper bicep said with a chuckle.

I looked around and sure enough there were no towels to be seen.

"I'm Jacob. This is Seth," he gestured to the first speaker and then the second, "and this is Embry."

"I'm Paul," said the fourth and final guy. He had a smug smile and he seemed like he might be a bit of a jerk, even though he hadn't done anything but introduce himself to us so far.

"I'm Angela. This is Bella."

I waved.

"Well come one in, it's cold out in the open air." Seth scooted to the side making room between him and Jacob.

I took a step first, but it was hesitant and Angela dipped into the water before me letting out a satisfied groan.

Paul guffawed. "Now that's a noise I love to hear come from a woman."

Angela turned red.

"How would you know? That's probably the first time you've ever heard it," Jacob howled and Paul splashed water at him.

Angela and I giggled.

"How long have you guys been chilling out here?" I asked.

Embry shrugged. "A few hours."

The others nodded in agreement. Suddenly Seth leaned over the side of the glass balcony and yelled down to someone below.

"Hey you! Down there with the cigarette! I can see your butt, I know you're there."

Jacob laughed.

"I meant their cigarette butt," Seth said unapologetically. He turned back to the empty air and called, "Come unlock this door up here! Hey! Are you going inside because you heard me?!" He shook his head and turned back with a look of fake disappointment. "All these rich folk can't hear me over the clinking of their glasses."

Angela and I giggled. Seth looked a bit like that shaggy dog from The Little Mermaid. He had dark hair over his face that were just barely parted over his dark eyes so he could see out. Embry had the same skin, hair, and eye color so I knew he too was likely Native American, but they didn't look related. His hair was buzzed along the sides and his mohawk was made of curly hair that flopped to one side and didn't stick straight up. When he turned to the side I could see that his hair ended in a six inch braid.

I pointed to an eagle feather tied into his curls. "I like your jewelry."

Embry instinctively reached up to touch it gently. He swelled with pride. "Thanks. Jacob and I got our first eagle feathers when we came back from Standing Rock."

I smiled and nodded, impressed.

The door opened and we all yelled for Alice to hold the door. She paused, a bottle of wine in one hand and a pile of towels in the other. Seth leapt out of the tub, splashing water on us all.

"Thanks you, Jesus! I've had to pee so bad for like an hour!" He dashed past Alice who was checking the lock on the door.

"I couldn't remember if I really did set towels out, so I brought some." Alice set the crisp white fluffy pile of fabric on a glass table and popped the cork off the bottle.

Alice, Angela, and Paul cheered when the piece of wood shot over the side of the balcony and foam leaked onto the tiled floor.

"Hey guys." Alice slipped into the water, shedding her sheer black cover up at the top of the stairs and tossing it back toward the door. Even her bikini looked designer. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Emmett invited us. Haven't seen him have you?" Paul explained taking the bottle from Alice's lips after she had just begun to swig from it. He tipped it back and Alice yanked it back so quickly sticky wine dripped down between his carved pecs and into the bubbling water.

Alice rolled her eyes, drank, passed the bottle to Jacob, and said, "with that hag."

"Oh." Paul raised his eyebrows and dropped the subject, Alice's response the only explanation he needed.

Jacob passed the bottle to me and I started to refuse.

"Oh no — Bella if you're going to come into my parents' house and get half naked in their hot tub, you're gonna get at the very least tipsy off their wine." She giggled and took the bottle from Jacob, pressing it into my ample chest until I accepted it.

Paul watched me with light brown eyes, his dark eyebrows hanging low, as if my very existence both confused and amused him. I smiled and he nodded. I inhaled more than I intended, and while the sting in my nose wasn't enjoyable once I'd handed the bottle to Angela I felt more relaxed. I liked it.

Seth rejoined us not long after he left and we all sat in the warm water, laughing and enjoying the wine for a long time. Alice got up when the bottle was empty and came back with two more, and a few water bottles. Angela and I didn't say much, though we laughed along and splashed the others when a play fight would break out. By the time the moon had begun it's decent back down to the west horizon we were pruney just like the boys and thoroughly unable to drive.

The door opened and out stepped Emmett, Rosalie no where to be seen.

"Emmett!" The guys and Alice roared, toasting his appearance with the alcohol bottles.

"Hi Emmett," Angela said with a small smile.

I glanced at her and she turned red. We giggled.

"Did you guys miss me?" He asked shedding his shirt.

I think I nodded more fiercely than was cool. I got dizzy. He slid his pants off and climbed in designer underwear between me and Seth. The tub was beyond full now with eight people. Embry and Paul were already sitting on the edge and Alice was standing up in the middle, dancing to music she'd had her Alexa device play on Spotify.

Paul reached out and slapped her on the butt and she slapped him across the face. The pair burst into laughter and she crumpled to her knees in the water. She took another drink.

"You guys, I'm so glad you're not stuck up. Like, I can't stand people like that," Alice slurred.

"You mean people like—"

"Jacob…" Emmett interrupted with a warning tone.

"Yeah! People like—"

"Alice!" Emmett barked.

"Rosalie!" She yelled back, quickly clapping a hand over her mouth and getting up to peer over the glass wall down to the back yard.

Emmett splashed water right into her face when she sat back down. She sputtered and coughed and splashed water back. He glared at her and she shoved him. He didn't budge.

"What's your problem? You're killing the party."

"The party was going just fine until you started trying to gossip."

"Oh whatever! You know she's a brat. You don't even like her."

"That's not the point—"

"It's bound to come out sooner or later—"

"Alice, don't."

"—that you and her are—"

"Alice, shut up!"

"—getting a—"

"Alice!" He grabbed the bottle out of her hands and chucked it into the trees past the yard.

Angela and I gaped at him. "Wow, what an arm," she said.

Alice and Emmett were in each other's faces, panting with rage. Paul and Jacob had hands on either of his shoulders. I reached for Alice's hand and slipped my fingers between hers, pulling just enough to make her uncomfortable. She sat in one of the vacated spaces.

"Are you quite done?" A voice from the door asked. It was their mother. I ducked down into the water so only my head was exposed. "We can hear you in the yard outside. I didn't let you invite friends so that you could ruin Edward's engagement party. I don't care what you do, as long as you let him have this night. Stay up here and get drunk, that's fine. But keep it down!" She turned back inside and closed the door quietly.

Emmett and Alice looked thoroughly ashamed.

"Angela," Embry said, "truth or dare?"

 **P.S. I know I promised some steam and I truly meant to give ya a little something something I really only put in the lead up... I'm an asshole, I know. Next chapter though! Like 99.99% positive there will be! :) Don't forget to leave a review! Let me know what you did or did not like. And let me know what you might like to see later on!**

 **-Lee-**


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